Belarus

Shuttered University Relocates to Lithuania

European Humanities University (EHU), which was closed by Belarusian authorities in July (see September/October 2004 issue WENR), has registered a “virtual” educational division in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

The new initiative, called EHU-International, started online classes for an estimated 200 students in September. EHU Deputy Rector Tatsyana Halko told RFE/RL the institution is negotiating for program and credential recognition with education officials in Italy, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. After EHU’s closure, approximately 200 students reportedly left Belarus to continue their education abroad, including in Poland, Germany and the United States. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said in September authorities closed the institution because the university's main goal was to educate a new Belarusian elite that would make the nation pro-West.

— RFE/RL
Nov. 4, 2004

Georgia

Education Minister Stirs Controversy Over Education Reforms

Education Minister Aleksandre Lomaya plans an ambitious reform of Georgia’s education system. Lomaya has proposed extending basic schooling from 11 years to 12 years and introducing sweeping changes to the national curriculum. Specifically, he intends to reduce the number of hours devoted to the study of mathematics, Georgian language and history, and medieval Georgian literature, and to introduce courses on sex education and comparative religion.

These proposals have triggered a storm of protest: Speaking at an Oct. 28 news conference, Giorgi Amashukeli, president of a national teachers union, argued that Lomaya's proposed “excessive liberalization” of the curriculum risks producing “a generation of animals” with no knowledge of national traditions.

Moreover, Lomaya’s reform stipulates that most subjects will be taught in Georgian, even in schools where the majority of pupils are members of Georgia's large Armenian or Azerbaijani minorities. This provision threatens both the survival of schools where teaching has until now been conducted in Armenian, Russian or Azerbaijani, and the livelihood of teachers employed in those schools whose knowledge of Georgian, like that of their pupils, may be rudimentary. Political parties from across the spectrum have denounced Lomaya’s plans. Meanwhile, the opposition New Rightists-Industrialists has collected 70,000 signatures on a petition calling for Lomaya’s resignation. President Mikheil Saakashvili supports Lomaya’s plan, and stressed that teachers will benefit from the reform in terms of higher salaries.

— RFE/RL
Nov. 11, 2004

Russia

Educational Cooperation with Vietnam Renewed

Vietnam and Russia are finalizing details of a 2004-06 education and training cooperation agreement and an agreement on mutual recognition of academic certificates and diplomas.

The agreements were announced at an October news conference in Hanoi by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training. Deputy Minister of Education Tran Van Nhung said his ministry will send more Vietnamese citizens to study in Russia and grant more scholarships to postgraduates in the fields of oil and gas, defense, new materials, bio-technology, automation and electricity.

Before 1990, the former Soviet Union trained 52,000 Vietnamese technology and social scientists, including 30,000 undergraduates and 3,500 doctoral and master’s students. Since the 1990s, bilateral cooperation has been based on the principle of equality with mutual benefit. Every year, Russia offers 100 to 170 scholarships for Vietnamese students to study and research at its leading universities and institutes.

— Voice of Vietnam
Oct. 29, 2004

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